Snow disc



Sept. 17, 1963 H. D. SMITH SNOW DISC Filed Dec. 27, 1960 lIll l:

\ HIIIHIIIII! ATTORNEY;

United States Patent O 3,103,678 SNW DESC Hilton D. Smith, Knoxville, Iowa, assignor to Moore, White & Bui-d, Minneapolis, Minn., a partnership Filed Dec. 27, 1960, Ser. No. 78,387 Claims. (Cl. 15.79)

This invention is directed to a snow plowing attachment for rotary mowers and, in its preferred form, comprises a disc of a diameter comparable to the length of the blade normally used in the mower. Resilient snow engaging members extend downwardly therefrom. The invention also features structure making it very easy to remove and replace worn or broken snow engaging members comprising forming the members with heads thereon that are larger than the portions that protrude through holes in the plate and extend below it to engage the snow. The larger portions or heads engage the top of the plate and are secured in place by merely bolting caps over them.

Accordingly it is the main object of this invention to provide a novel snow plowing attachment for rotary lawn mowers.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a snow removal attachment for rotary mowers which cannot catch on obstructions in a manner hazardous fo an operator or the machine.

A further object of this invention is to provide a snow plowing attachment for rotary mowers that is easily installed on and removed from mowers.

It is -a further object of this invention to provide a snow removing attachment for rotary mowers that may be easily repaired and maintained.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a snow removing attachment for rotary mowers that, by reason of using a disc to support the Isnow engaging members Iand by reason of having resilient snow engaging members, can be used without fear upon engaging hidden obstructions in a manner that will damage the machine or possibly injure the operator thereof.

Other objects of the invention are those inherent and apparent in the `apparatus as described, pictured `and claimed.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, this invention then comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiment-s of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed.

The invention will be described with reference to the drawings in which corresponding numerals refer to corresponding parts and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a partial longitudinal section, partial side elevation of a rotary mower with the snow plowing attachment of this invention mounted therein;

FIGURE 2 is .a bottom plan View of the snow plowing attachment; broken lines illustrate hidden parts;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical section of a portion of the mowing attachment taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1 with broken lines illustrating hidden parts;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical section of the structure shown in FIGURE 3 and taken on .the line 4 4 thereof with broken lines illustrating hidden parts;

FIGURE 5 is la view similar to FIGURE 3 except that the device is shown in operation; and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of the structure shown in FIGURE 2, and broken lines illustrate hidden parts.

Referring to the drawings, and specifically to FIGURE l thereof, there is shown an ordinary rotary mower having the frame 10 including the grass chute 11 `and the usual engine 12 having a vertical crankshaft 14 extending 3,193,678 Patented Sept. 17, 1963 below the frame 1t). Frame 141 is supported by the usual wheels 15 `and the entire mower may be maneuvered by the operator through any suitable handle such .as the one shown in fragment at 16.

The invention itself consists of the element 17 preferably in the form'of a disc for reasons hereinafter explained, that has an appropriate opening therein at its center that embraces crankshaft 14. The disc is secured to driven shaft 14 by the usual nut or cap screw 18 and if necessary washer 19.

The lsnow engaging teeth or fingers 20 are secured t0 the plate 17 by having heads thereon which are larger than the fingers which extend through the apertured plate. The fingers extend lthrough 'apertures in plate 17 yand the heads engage the top surface thereof. Caps 21 are removably secured to the plate over the heads of the fingers 20 to form a confining Istructure for the heads. The caps are secured to the plate in any suitable manner 4as by the nut .and bolt assemblies 22.

As can be seen in FIGURES 1 and 3, and to some ex- -tent in FIGURE 2, the snow engaging fingers 2f) curve forward in .the direction of rotation when the disc is not operating. The solid line arrow in FIGURE 4 shows the direction of movement of the elementv when it is used in plowing snow. y

Fingers 20 are shown here as being made of three separate plies or pieces which are free to slide with respect to each other after the manner of a leaf spring. This provides the fingers with the combination of considerable stiffness to plow snow and yet with adequate resilience to yield in the event that they engage an unyielding object.

It should be understood, however, that fingers could be made in a single piece if thatV seemed advisable or desirable. Any suitable material may be used for the fingers and one which has actually been used and found highly satisfactory is fabric reinforced rubber comparable to that used in automobile tires.

As shown in FIGURE 4 the fingers 20 are provided with enlarged head formations 24 which engage the top of plate 17 when the fingers 2u extend through .apertures such as the ones 25 in plate 17. Cap 21 is clamped over the top of the heads 24 of fingers Ztl to prevent any movement of the fingers 20 upward. Cap 21 is preferably removably secured over the heads Z4 of the fingers 20 in any suitable manner as by the nut `and bolt assemblies 22. In order to replace Ia worn or broken finger 2t), it is necessary only to remove the disc 17 from the mower and remove the cap 21 from the worn or broken finger which makes it possible to remove the damaged unit by sliding it vertically through the apertures 25 in plate 17. A replacement unit may then be provided for the damaged unit and the assembly inserted through the apertures 25, as previously, and clamped on with cap 21.

It will be noted in FIGURE 5 that [one or more of the fingers 4actually engages the surface being cleaned of snow. This is necessary when snow has been packed as when walked Iover or otherwise compacted. The actual flailing or heating of this compacted snow by the fingers firmly engaging it serves to disassociate it from the surface from which the snow is to-be removed.

While three sets 'of fingers, two fingers in each set, have been shown, it is to be understood that this is illustrative only and that a greater or smaller number of fingers may be employed if desi-red.

When the snow being removed is no higher than that shown in FIGURE 5 'at 26, the mower may he moved aiong the surface being cleaned in a normal fashion.

When the snow is so deep, however, that the front 27 of mower frame 10 would engage it, the mower is tipped up in front by pushing down on handle 16. yIn so tipping the mower, the fingers at the front of the mower as they rotate will engage only the top of the deep snow and las they pass at the back of the mower will engage the snow closer to the surface being cleaned which will permit taking a cleaning swath through deep snow. Snow is blown out through grass chute 11 when the machine is used in a level position. When the mower is tipped, however, snow may be blown partly through the grass chute 11 and partly out from under the mower in a ianwise forward and lateral direction. It has been found -that the snow thus thrown does not come back against the operator of the machine.

It is particularly desirable that plate 17 take the form of a disc as its smooth outer edge will not Iallow it to catch on any obstructions that might be hidden in the snow. For the same reason it -is at least highly desirable that teeth 20 be yielding. Experience has shown that when both the disc and yielding lingers lare used, the machine will not damage itself by encountering hidden rocks, iboards or other `obstructions which are covered up by the snow in a manner as to make their detection diicult before they are uncovered or struck. Thus the use of the disc form of plate 17 and the yielding characteristic of fingers 20 assures that engine 12 will not be suddenly stopped as a result of the snow disc striking an obstruction. As sudden stoppage of the engine usually, if not invariably, bends crankshaft 14, making it necessary to `disassemble the machine in order to straighten the crankshaft and possibly to replace it with a new one, the shape for the plate and the yielding character of the teeth or fingers are rof great importance though not essential to operation.

It is apparent that many modifications 'and variations of this invention as hereinbefore set forth may be made Without departing `from the spirit and scope thereof. The spe- ;cifc embodiments described are given by way of example only and the invention is limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A snow moving attachment for rotary mowers comprising: a plate, means at the center of balance of said plate adapting it to be mounted on a driven shaft of a rotary mower, snow engaging means comprising fingers having enlarged rectangular head portions, said plate having apertures, said snow engaging members being secured to said plate hy having groups of said lingers extend through said apertures of said plate and the heads thereof engage the top of said plate, and caps removably secured to said plate and embracing groups of heads of said snow engaging members on at least three sides.

2. A snow moving attachment `for rotary mowers oomprising a disc, a hole in the center of said disc adapted to embrace a driven shaft of -a rotary mower, a plurality of spaced apertures in said disc, a plurality of groups of resilient snow engaging members extending as groups through said apertures and depending from said plate, said snow engaging members each having an enlarged head portion that engages the top of said plate and, undistorted, will not pass through said apertures, and cap means ernbracing the heads of said -snfow engaging members and bolted to said plate, whereby said snow engaging member heads are held against distortion and trapped in groups between said caps and said plate and said members are removably secured to said plate, said snow engaging members having at least portions of which can slip with respect to each other.

3. A snow moving machine comprising a frame, a shaft vertically mounted near the center of said frame for rotation with respect to said frame, means for rotating said shaft, wheels supporting said frame, a plate secured to said shaft, a cap secured to said plate, said plate and cap forming a confining structure, an aperture in said coniining structure, and snow engaging means extending through said 'aperture and having enlarged heads that are trapped in groups in said confining structure, said enlarged heads heing rectangular, said cap being lformed to embrace at least three sides of a group of said enlarged heads of said snow engaging means.

4. The snow moving attachment of claim 3 in which said snow engaging means are fabric encased in rubber.

5. The snow moving attachment of claim 3 in which said snow engaging means is yielding and consists of a plurality of linger members which can slide in relation to each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Benson Jan. 12, 

1. A SNOW MOVING ATTACHMENT FOR ROTARY MOWERS COMPRISING: A PLATE, MEANS AT THE CENTER OF BALANCE OF SAID PLATE ADAPTING IT TO BE MOUNTED ON A DRIVEN SHAFT OF A ROTARY MOWER, SNOW ENGAGING MEANS COMPRISING FINGERS HAVING ENLARGED RECTANGULAR HEAD PORTIONS, SAID PLATE HAVING APERTURES, SAID SNOW ENGAGING MEMBERS BEING SECURED TO SAID PLATE BY HAVING GROUPS OF SAID FINGERS EXTEND THROUGH SAID APERTURES OF SAID PLATE AND THE HEADS THEREOF ENGAGE THE TOP OF SAID PLATE, AND CAPS REMOVABLY SECURED TO SAID PLATE AND EMBRACING GROUPS OF HEADS OF SAID SNOW ENGAGING MEMBERS ON AT LEAST THREE SIDES. 